Wednesday, March 07, 2007
An Atemi Waza Timing Drill against a Tanto Stab
This drill is to develop timing for atemi waza strikes. It is done in itterations, each building upon the previous one.
For instance, suppose that tori wants to practice his timing for shomen ate.
Uke and tori start at proper distance (ma-ai.) They are both standing in neutral posture (shizen-tai), with neither foot forward--that is, in neither a left-foot-forward nor a right-foot forward stance.
Suppose that uke has the knife in his right hand. He first pounces down into a right-foot-forward stance (migi-gamae). He lower his center and prepares to spring forward and stab. He is ready like a cat about to pounce!
He then springs forward and stabs. Tori just stands there and gets stabbed with the rubber knife.
This first itteration is just so that tori can get used to the timing of a stab.
On the second itteration, uke goes into the pounce but does not get the chance to stab, because as uke is going into the right-foot forward pouncing position, tori slides forward into the right-foot-forward position for shomen-ate. Tori enters and just barely touches uke. There is no throw on this itteration. But the timing must be right: tori slides forwars as uke is transitioning from the neutral stance into the pounch. That is, tori enters as uke is preparing to stab. This is sen no sen.
On the third and final itteration, tori not only slides forward for shomen-ate as uke transitions into the pouncing position, he also finishes the technique and throws uke.
So on the first itteration, tori stands there and gets stabbed, learning how uke moves. On the second, tori slides into position for shomen ate as uke goes into the right-foot-forward pouncing position (knees bent, center lowered.) And then on the third itteration, tori not only moves forward as uke goes into the pouch but finishes things up but completing the throw.
Naturally, this three-itteration drill can be done for any of the atemi waza.
But notice that the version I just described involves sen no sen, or tori moving simultaneously with uke. You can also practice this drill as a go no sen drill, or one in which tori moves second.
In this version, tori moves in for the technique after doing a tai sabaki to avoid the stab. So the order is uke stabs, tori moves out of the way using good taisabaki, uke pulls back (after stabbing) and then tori moves in towards uke as uke pulls back and then throws uke at that point in time. This is go no sen because tori definitely moves second, after uke stabs.
This drill is also done using three itterations.
First, uke stabs and tori just does a taisabaki to get out of the way and then stays still as uke pulls back after the stab. Uke should not only pull is arm back, but should also slide backward with his feet as well. (But keeping the same stance, so that if he is in a right foot forward stance after finishing the stab, he slides backward still in a right-foot-forward stance.) The pouncing routine is also the same. Both start in shizen tai, uke goes into a right-foot-forward pouncing position, and then stabs. But now, after stabbing, uke pulls back.
On the second itteration, uke stabs, tori gets out of the way, but then follows uke in as uke slides back. As tori slides forward, he moves into the proper position for an appropriate atemi waza technique. But he does not finish the throw.
On the third itteration, tori finishes the throw, with the proper timing being that tori adds to uke`s backward sliding motion, so that the atemi waza is very easy to apply effectively.
A final version of this drill involves second stabs. That is uke stabs straight forward at tori, tori does a taisabaki, uke points his center at wherever tori is now standing,　goes into a pouncing position and then takes a second stab at him.
On the first itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab but not the second.
On the second itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab, and then enters to do an atemi waza as uke gets ready to pounce for the second stab. Uke never gets the second stab off because tori is already coming in at him. But there is not throw on this second itteration.
On the third itteration, the throw is made.
For instance, suppose that tori wants to practice his timing for shomen ate.
Uke and tori start at proper distance (ma-ai.) They are both standing in neutral posture (shizen-tai), with neither foot forward--that is, in neither a left-foot-forward nor a right-foot forward stance.
Suppose that uke has the knife in his right hand. He first pounces down into a right-foot-forward stance (migi-gamae). He lower his center and prepares to spring forward and stab. He is ready like a cat about to pounce!
He then springs forward and stabs. Tori just stands there and gets stabbed with the rubber knife.
This first itteration is just so that tori can get used to the timing of a stab.
On the second itteration, uke goes into the pounce but does not get the chance to stab, because as uke is going into the right-foot forward pouncing position, tori slides forward into the right-foot-forward position for shomen-ate. Tori enters and just barely touches uke. There is no throw on this itteration. But the timing must be right: tori slides forwars as uke is transitioning from the neutral stance into the pounch. That is, tori enters as uke is preparing to stab. This is sen no sen.
On the third and final itteration, tori not only slides forward for shomen-ate as uke transitions into the pouncing position, he also finishes the technique and throws uke.
So on the first itteration, tori stands there and gets stabbed, learning how uke moves. On the second, tori slides into position for shomen ate as uke goes into the right-foot-forward pouncing position (knees bent, center lowered.) And then on the third itteration, tori not only moves forward as uke goes into the pouch but finishes things up but completing the throw.
Naturally, this three-itteration drill can be done for any of the atemi waza.
But notice that the version I just described involves sen no sen, or tori moving simultaneously with uke. You can also practice this drill as a go no sen drill, or one in which tori moves second.
In this version, tori moves in for the technique after doing a tai sabaki to avoid the stab. So the order is uke stabs, tori moves out of the way using good taisabaki, uke pulls back (after stabbing) and then tori moves in towards uke as uke pulls back and then throws uke at that point in time. This is go no sen because tori definitely moves second, after uke stabs.
This drill is also done using three itterations.
First, uke stabs and tori just does a taisabaki to get out of the way and then stays still as uke pulls back after the stab. Uke should not only pull is arm back, but should also slide backward with his feet as well. (But keeping the same stance, so that if he is in a right foot forward stance after finishing the stab, he slides backward still in a right-foot-forward stance.) The pouncing routine is also the same. Both start in shizen tai, uke goes into a right-foot-forward pouncing position, and then stabs. But now, after stabbing, uke pulls back.
On the second itteration, uke stabs, tori gets out of the way, but then follows uke in as uke slides back. As tori slides forward, he moves into the proper position for an appropriate atemi waza technique. But he does not finish the throw.
On the third itteration, tori finishes the throw, with the proper timing being that tori adds to uke`s backward sliding motion, so that the atemi waza is very easy to apply effectively.
A final version of this drill involves second stabs. That is uke stabs straight forward at tori, tori does a taisabaki, uke points his center at wherever tori is now standing,　goes into a pouncing position and then takes a second stab at him.
On the first itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab but not the second.
On the second itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab, and then enters to do an atemi waza as uke gets ready to pounce for the second stab. Uke never gets the second stab off because tori is already coming in at him. But there is not throw on this second itteration.
On the third itteration, the throw is made.
